Mini Black Bean Burgers

Who doesn’t love sliders? This dish is always a crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for entertaining. Best of all, they look so much like real burgers that kids don’t realize they are eating a nutritious meal that’s high in fiber and protein!

45minDuration

15minCook Time

30minPrep Time

25 small burger ServingsServings

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato or yam, baked

Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 scallions, sliced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)

1 egg

1/2-3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Kosher salt or sea salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing

Optional: minced jalapeño pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

2 dozen mini burger buns

Preparation

Preparation

1 ADULTS: Heat the oven to 375ºF. (For instructions on how to bake potatoes/yams, see page 99.)

2 KIDS 4 and up: Peel the cooled sweet potato (or yam), discard the peel, and set aside. Mash the beans and sweet potato in a bowl with a potato masher or fork until roughly half the mixture appears puréed and the other half is still whole beans. Fold in the scallions, garlic, and egg, and stir.Stir in the breadcrumbs. Depending on the size of the potato, you may need to add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too moist. It should be moist enough to bind together but not so wet that it sticks to your hands. Season with salt and pepper (and jalapeño and red pepper flakes, if using).

3KIDS 6 and up: Shape the mixture into approximately 25 small balls of equal size. Flatten each one into a 2½-inch patty and put on a greased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper). The patties can be frozen at this point.

4KIDS 2 and up: Brush each patty generously with olive oil using a pastry brush.

5ADULTS: Bake the patties for about 10 to 12 minutes. Pull the pan out of the oven and, with a thin metal spatula, carefully flip each patty. You can brush them again with oil or just keep cooking them until they are a little crispy around the edges, for 2 to 3 additional minutes. Serve the burgerson buns with guacamole or ketchup. Store the burgers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 6 months.

6COOKING TIPS: -You can bake the potato up to 3 days before you prepare the dish – just store it in the fridge until needed. -If you can’t find mini burger buns, small dinner rolls or hot dog buns cut in half will work.

Special instructions

Who doesn’t love sliders? This dish is always a crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for entertaining. Best of all, they look so much like real burgers that kids don’t realize they are eating a nutritious meal that’s high in fiber and protein!